The Chronicle
pAGE 22 � THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2002
The Chronicle
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Two bad neighbors
Recently,
Russian President Vladimir Putin aptly compared the current mounting tensions between India and Pakistan to the Cuban missile crisis. Although the two nuclear-armed neighbors have fewer arms than the United States and the Soviet Union did in 1962, the threat of nuclear war should not be underestimated. There are disturbing differences between this conflict and the missile crisis that make the threat of nuclear war more real today than then. First, whereas the United States and Soviet Union co-existed largely because of their equal mutually destructive nuclear capability, there is a serious imbalance of military power on the subcontinent. The fact that India has more nuclear weapons and a superior military could lead Pakistan to launch a preemptive nuclear attack to level the playing field The governments of India and Pakistan are also less stable than those in the United States and the former Soviet Union, and governmental instability makes it more difficult to have an effective nuclear policy. Moreover, nuclear command capabilities in both states are less centralized and with weaker controls than in either Russia or the United States, making a nuclear attack more likely than under a well regulated and carefully protected system. The situation is serious, and the world needs to pay attention and recognize that there is a realistic possibility that nuclear weapons will be used on the subcontinent. Unfortunately, much ofthe conflict in India and Pakistan has passed beneath Americans’ radar screens, not due to a lack of gravity in the situation, but because of American ignorance and inability to recognize and synthesize complex information about international politics. America’s leaders, however, are paying attention to the region. President George W. Bush placed calls Wednesday to India’s Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and to Pakistan’s leader Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is scheduled to visit the region within the next week. American diplomacy, combined with Russian efforts, is a necessary part of the solution to the complex problems surrounding Kashmir. In the aftermath of Sept. 11, the United States can no longer ignore the subcontinent and must work with both sides to reduce tension and fight terrorism. Musharraf s reign is particularly disturbing, because unlike India’s president, he is part of a military juntaand is not democratically elected. However, he is currently the best option available for the United States; the threat of a coup by radical Muslims requires that the US. continue to back Musharraf. Interestingly, Pakistan and Musharraf support having a vote in Kashmir to allow the people to determine their fate. India, though, hag rejected this proposal and others to jointly patrol the region with Pakistan. However, Pakistan is also wrong to allow continued and repeated attacks by guerrilla groups against Kashmir. In the long run, the solution to the Kashmir problem requires greater freedom and democracy for the region’s people. There should be a plebiscite where residents are given the choice to stay with India, go over to Pakistan, become independent or somehow split up. Although such a vote may be five, 10 or more years in the future, it should be the next step towards a viable solution for the conflict.
The Chronicle DAVE INGRAM, Editor KEVIN LEES, Managing Editor WHITNEY BECKETT, University Editor ALEX GARINGER, University Editor KENNETH REINKER, Editorial Page Editor PAUL DORAN, Sports Editor JONATHANANGIER, General Manager
JENNIFER SONG, Senior Editor MATT BRUMM, Senior Editor REBECCA SUN, Projects Editor JANE HETHERINGTON, Photography Editor RUTH CARLITZ, City & Stale Editor RYAN WILLIAMS, City & Slate Editor BECKY YOUNG, Features Editor MIKE MILLER, Health & Science Editor GREG VEIS, Recess Editor MEG LAWSON, Recess Editor JODI SAROWITZ, TowerView Managing Editor MATT ATWOOD, TowerView Editor JOHN BUSH, Online Editor BRIAN MORRAY, Graphics Editor ROBERT TAI, Sports Photography Editor TYLER ROSEN, Sports Managing Editor AMI PATEL, Wire Editor KIRA ROSOFF, Wire Editor MOLLY JACOBS, Sr. Assoc. Features Editor MELISSA SOUCY, Sr. Assoc. City <6 State Editor NADINE OOSMANALLY, Sr. Assoc. University Editor EVAN DAVIS, Sr. Assoc. Sports Editor MATT KLEIN, Sr. Assoc. Photography Editor ANDREA OLAND, Sr. Assoc. Photography Editor SETH LANKFORD, Online Manager THAD PARSONS, Sr. Assoc. Photography Editor ALISE EDWARDS. Creative Services Manager RACHEL CLAREMON, Creative Services Manager SUE NEWSOME. Advertising Director CATHERINE MARTIN, Supplements Coordinator BARBARA STARBUCK. Production Manager MARY WEAVER. Operations Manager NALINI MILNE, Advertising Office Manager The Chronicle is published by the Duke Student Publishing Company, Inc., a non-profit corporation independent of Duke University. The opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Duke University, its students, faculty, staff, administration or trustees. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board. Columns, letters and cartoons represent the views of the authors. To reach the Editorial Office (newsroom) at 301 Flowers Building, call 684-2663 or fax 684-4696. To reach the Business Office at 103 West Union Building, call 684-3811. Jo reach the Advertising Office at 101 West Union Building call 684-3811 or fax 684-8295. Visit The Chronicle Online at http://www.chronicle.duke.edu. © 2002 The Chronicle, Box 90858, Durham, N.C. 27708. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior, written permission of the Business Office. Each individual is entitled to one free copy.
Letters to
the editor
Administration missed chance to build a frat row The administration has missed an outstanding opportunity to solve some of its student social and parking prob-
lems with the building of the West-Edens Link. Why not build fraternity houses on Campus Drive? Would it not have been economically feasible for the University to lease the land to the national fraternities who would then build houses on the land? Look at the advantages: Campus social life would have been restored (at least somewhat) by having sufficient space for groups to throw parties. There would be less driving drunk to and from off-
campus parties because students could simply take the bus. Moving fraternities to the houses and putting the rest of the student body on West Campus would have benefited both greeks and non-greeks. The joke known as parking would also have been eased as fraternity
members could have parked at their houses for the same fee as West Campus. The only downsides I can see with this idea is that some of the campus beauty might be compromised and a possibility of an increase in the number of noise violations in the neighborhood. But don’t
off-campus parties have these already? And how many people notice the serene drive from East to West and viceversa on the bus? If the administration wants to remove all fraternities from campus, they should just do it all at once. Squeezing them out one-byone detracts not only from the inept social scene on this campus, but also creates a lack ofrespect for the administration by the students who, in the end, are the cornerstones ofthis University. Patrick Willis Trinity ’O2
Police waste resources by enforcing speed limits Speeding invigorates me. I’m not talking about five, six or seven miles over the speed limit; Fm talking about an average of 15 to 20 miles over the posted limit. Why? I know how to handle my car, and I like to hear her engine purr. Speed limits are set for idiot drivers who should not have licenses or at least should stay in the right-most lane. But that’s not the main point of my rage; rather, it appears that I am the only student who remembers the for referenced story, see
numerous gruesome sexual speeders who jeopardize assaults that occurred last pedestrians’ safety by investing officer hours and semester. What was the response of money for new equipment. Now I do not only fear the Duke University Police to these running at night, but also I Department attacks besides downplayhave to fear being caught ing their severity? More for driving my car within patrols and blah, blah, blah. my limits by a campus traffic cop scanning me with his I never regained my vacillating confidence in the $1,200 piece—money that Duke police, and I noTonger could have been better run at night. Ironically invested in stopping any though, it appears that the serial rapists on campus. Duke police thought they could regain some respect Michael Oles by stopping the vicious Trinity ’O3 http:! www.chronicle.duke.edu!story.php?article_Jd=26264 /
Pool remains a dump despite promised renovations
In February of 1998, the uninviting that I have the deck. As far as I can tell, there has been no detectable University announced a swum in. $2.5 million gift from Larry The wall of windows that renovation of this pool and used to afford wonderful am wondering if the intenTaishoff, Trinity ’55 to “construct the Taishoff Aquatics outside light is now tions of the generous donor have been fulfilled. Pavilion, featuring a renoobscured by new construevation of-the pool currently tion, shrouding the pool in Coach Bob Thompson, his located in Card Gymnasium, perpetual night. In addition, swimming team and others which was built in 1972.” I the women’s locker room who use the pool deserve better than this. have been swimming at this seems to have lacked janitopool since 1987, and I am rial attention for weeks, and writing to report that the the kickboards and pull Pamela Lindroos Graduate School ’92 pool is now one of the most buoys are strewn around for referenced story, see http:! www.chronicle.duke.edu/story.php?article_id=l 1516 /
On the
record
“They realized it would not be possible to operate the center. They don’t have the money, they don’t have the manpower and so the fact of the matter is, if the city hadn’t stepped in to operate it, it would not be placed into operation.” Durham Mayor Pro Tempore Lewis Cheek on Calvary Ministries’ inability to run the planned Lyon Park community center (see story, page one).